Curriculum

There’s a place for every girl at SSA as girls are our only priority!

St. Scholastica Academy is deeply committed to prioritizing the unique learning needs of girls. What sets SSA apart is its dedication to learning about the most advanced research and pedagogical practices for how girls learn best. To address this, core subjects are meticulously aligned. When students read and analyze literary works of a particular time period in English class, they simultaneously learn the historical context of that period in history class.  Math and science curricula are also aligned to allow for an integrated approach when learning the STEM disciplines.  In addition to this alignment in math and science, SSA adheres to the Physics First sequential model in which freshmen take a full year of physics before taking chemistry or biology.  This re-sequencing provides our girls with a seamless storyline beginning with the concrete principles of the physical world while gradually progressing into the more abstract worlds of chemistry and biology. Exposing girls upfront to the scientific phenomena that govern their physical world provides them with a solid foundation in the core theories necessary for deeper understanding in future science coursework. SSA’s science faculty has also incorporated the pedagogical practice of modeling.  Modeling benefits girls by giving them the opportunity to generate both a conceptual and a mathematical representation of phenomena that are difficult to directly observe.  

SSA gears its educational program around collaboration.  As social beings, girls learn best when they work together via productive learning struggles. Areas for collaborative work are strategically scattered across campus.  Writable walls encourage brainstorming and formulation of thought processes and ideas.  Into every lesson, teachers incorporate collaborative group work that includes positive interdependence, individual accountability, equal participation, and simultaneous interaction to solve real-world problems. SSA has also collaborated with Louisiana State University (LSU) to incorporate its College Readiness Program in Mathematics, which provides SSA students with a seamless curriculum from Algebra I through Differential and Integral Calculus.  Math classes have evolved into small groups of students instructing their peers while using collaborative workspaces.  Students build strong habits of learning and understand that through collaboration, effort, remediation, and perseverance, math can be mastered. Since the implementation of the Physics First sequential model and the College Readiness Program in Mathematics, SSA’s math and science ACT scores have improved exponentially, while students’ attitudes toward and interests in these subjects has positively changed.

SSA recognizes that along with the core disciplines, additional curricular areas are fundamental and vital to a student’s education, personal development, and quality of life. The arts curriculum includes ceramics, digital art, and studio classes ranging from Studio Art I through AP Studio Art. Students learn professional-grade software such as InDesign, Final Cut Express, and Adobe Creative Suite.  SSA students exhibit their artwork in local and regional art shows and competitions.  SSA also offers a wide range of performing arts courses and opportunities to students interested in music and theater with additional dual enrollment opportunities in Art Appreciation and Music Appreciation. Partnering with St. Paul’s School, our brother school, students have co-educational opportunities in theatre and band.

Students complete CPR and first-aid certification in their Health and Physical Education coursework.  Our certified athletic trainer from Tulane Institute of Sports Medicine provides brown bag lunch conversations with medical experts in nutrition, performance, reducing stress and anxiety, etc. On a monthly basis, guidance counselors teach life skills to physical education students in grades 8 through 10.  In these sessions, students learn how to navigate difficult situations, advocate for themselves, and healthfully relieve stress and anxiety. 

The foreign language department offers both Latin and Spanish studies.  Students scheduled for one or more honors courses are required to take Latin I and have the option to pursue Latin II and III, or take Spanish I, II and III.  Foreign language classes center on the “Five Cs”: communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities. These standards stress the value of learning second languages beyond the instructional setting.  Foreign language students develop competences for post-secondary coursework in foreign language or for future careers and experiences.  
 
In the humanities, students have an array of elective choices that allow them to further investigate literature, creative and rhetorical writing, philosophy, geography, sociology, psychology, and law studies.  Those interested in STEM fields can choose unique courses in Biological Research and Independent Studies, Engineering DE, Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Math, and Personal Finance.  Environmental science students maintain a sustainable, organic garden and annually donate more than five hundred pounds of its produce to the local food bank.
St. Scholastica Academy offers two programs of study: college-preparatory and honors/AP.  These programs result in a high school certificate conferred by the Louisiana State Department of Education and St. Scholastica Academy.   During their time at SSA, students must be enrolled in eight courses per year and complete an annual service requirement.

List of 3 items.

  • Click Here for the College Preparatory Program of Studies

    8th Grade
    9th Grade
    10th Grade
    11th Grade
    12th Grade
    Intro to Algebra / Algebra I 
    Geometry 
    Algebra II 
    Algebra III or Algebra III DE (College Alg)
    Adv Math / Algebra III DE (College Alg) / Adv Math/Pre Calc DE (College Trig) / Business Calc DE /Elementary Statistics DE*
    General Science / Integrated Physical Science
    Physics
    Chemistry
    Biology
    Elective
    English I – Genre
    English II – World Literature
    English III – European Literature
    English IV – American Literature
    Senior Applications in English / English Comp DE (Eng Comp I/Eng Comp II)**
    World Geography
    World History
    European History
    American History
    Civics
    Theology 8
    Theology I
    Theology II
    Theology III
    Theology IV
    Intermediate Composition / Speech
    Spanish I
    Spanish II
    Elective
    Elective
    H & PE 8 / Intro to Stem
    H & PE I
    H & PE II
    Elective
    Elective
    Filmmaking / Studio Art
    Art Elective
    Elective
    Elective
    Elective
    *DE coursework in Math requires an ACT composite score of 19, an English subscore of 18, and a Math subscore of 19
    **DE coursework in English requires an ACT composite score of 19, and a combined ACT composite score plus ACT English subscore of 38
  • Click Here for the Honors/AP Program of Studies

    8th Grade
    9th Grade
    10th Grade
    11th Grade
    12th Grade
    Algebra I H
    Geometry H
    Algebra II H
    Pre Calc H DE (College Alg / College Trig)
    Calculus I H DE* or AP Calculus AB
    Integrated Physical Science H
    Physics H
    Chemistry H
    Biology H
    Elective 
    English I H – Genre
    English II H – World Literature
    English III H – European Literature
    English IV H – American Literature
    English V AP – English Literature & Comp
    World Geography
    World History H
    European History AP
    American History AP
    American Govt/Civics AP
    Theology 8
    Theology I
    Theology II
    Theology III
    Theology IV
    Intermediate Composition / Speech
    Latin I H
    Latin II H or Spanish I
    Spanish II or Elective
    Elective
    H & PE 8 / Intro to Stem
    H & PE I
    H & PE II
    Elective
    Elective
    Filmmaking / Studio Art
    Art Elective
    Elective
    Elective
    Elective
    *DE Coursework in Math requires an ACT composite score of 19 plus an ALEKS score of 76 or greater
  • Click Here for Elective Offerings

    Math
    Science
    English
    Social Studies
    Art
    Other
    Elementary Statistics DE* 
    Anatomy & Physiology H
    Contemporary Fiction
    Economics
    Art I - III
    Cycling / Running
    Medical Math 
    Biological Research & Independent Studies H
    English Language & Composition AP
    Law Studies I-II
    Art Appreciation DE*
    Latin III H - IV H
    Personal Finance
    Biology AP
    Intro to Creative Writing
    Philosophy
    Art History AP
    Spanish III H – IV H
    Chemistry AP
    Journalism I-II
    Psychology AP
    Ceramics
    Computer Science Principles AP
     
    Psychology DE*
    Choir (Beg/Int/Adv)
    Engineering DE*
    Sociology DE*
    Dance
    Environmental Science
    Sociology H
    Digital Media
    Environmental Science AP
    Music Appreciation DE*
    Introduction to Computer Science (Python)
    Musical Theatre/Theatre
    Physics AP
    Studio Art AP
     
    TV Production DE I-II*
     
    Visual Art
     
    Yearbook I-II
    *DE coursework requires a minimum of an ACT composite score of 19 and an English subscore of 18 in addition to the requirements of the applicable university

Placement

A course of study is carefully determined for each incoming student.  Placement is based on the following criteria: (1) performance on the standardized test administered by the Academy, (2) standardized test scores from previous schools attended and (3) academic grades from previous schools attended.  The minimum requirements for honors placement include a consistent score of 85 percentile or greater in the discipline on standardized tests and an academic grade of A in the discipline from previous school(s) attended. Continuation in or movement between a program of studies is subject to change in accordance with student performance and/or teacher recommendation.  In order to remain in the honors program of studies, a student must earn a grade of C or better.  An extra quality point is not awarded to a student receiving a D in an honors course.  Students entering St. Scholastica Academy with standardized test scores indicating a need for skill development in math and/or science will be scheduled for Introduction to Algebra and General Science for 8th grade.

A student does not have to pursue ALL honors courses offered by the Academy to be in the honors program of studies; however, a student who pursues honors science must also pursue honors math and vice versa.  A student scheduled for one or more honors courses is required to take Latin I Honors and may pursue Latin II Honors to satisfy her foreign language requirement or may pursue two consecutive levels of Spanish.  It is important to note that some select colleges require three consecutive years of a foreign language for admission. It is highly recommended for honors students to pursue three consecutive years of a foreign language.
St. Scholastica Academy is a Catholic, all-girls, college-preparatory high school located in Covington, Louisiana. Founded in 1903, SSA perpetuates the Benedictine tradition of balancing prayer, work, study, and community in developing adolescent girls into Christian women grounded in the Gospel values of the Catholic faith. St. Scholastica Academy is a Catholic girls high school of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. As such it admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities available to students at its schools. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, or athletic and other school-administered programs.